Project Recovery

In this week's episode, Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley are joined by Matthew Jackson, a former BYU professor, to talk about Matthew's experimentation with substances growing up in a small town, the shame he felt after his addiction became more well known, and how a spiritual awakening led him to experience recovery for the first time. Then Matthew talks about his life without substance abuse, how pursuing his Ph.D. led to a reliance on caffeine, and his decision to begin abusing energy drinks and pain pills in order to stay focused on his goals. Matthew also talks about the "Holy Trinity" of addiction, the events that led to his rock bottom, and what his recovery looks like now.

On this week's episode, we are joined by Felicia Marie to talk about what it was like living in an abusive household growing up and how it led her to become addicted to pills and ecstasy at the age of fourteen. We also talk to her about overdosing as a teenager, getting removed from her childhood home, and finding her love for the outdoors.

Morgan Dimmitt joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about how his vigilant relationship with his brother naturally caused him to feel anxious and tense which ultimately led him to feel less anxious once he started experimenting with marijuana and alcohol. Morgan also talks about how sports became an outlet for him to release a lot of the pent-up tension he dealt with in high school, the events that led him to serve over a thousand hours of community service after a physical altercation, and how an addiction to pain medication drastically transitioned to heroin. Then we dive into Morgan’s time in prison after being arrested for drugs, the first time he was able to say no to drugs, and why it’s so important to build a community around you that supports recovery to stay sober. Related Links Reflections Recovery Center: https://reflectionsrecoveryutah.com/

Brad Shreeve joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about Brad's experience with dealing with addiction in his 40s, how his introduction to opioids began his downfall into substance abuse, and the moment he started chasing the high of substances. Then Brad opens up about the first time he decided to go to a dealer to fuel his addiction, how being thrown in jail for driving under the influence completely changed his mindset towards his substance abuse, and what his life looks like now once he's found recovery.

This week, Casey and Dr. Matt are joined by Landon Shreeve, son of former guest Brad Shreeve. Landon shares how the divorce of his parents led to him seeking out alcohol to ease the pain of processing the traumatic change in his life and trying to understand the scope of his father’s addiction. Landon then opens up about his battles with alcohol addiction, his lowest moments throughout his addiction, and his struggles with committing to a life of sobriety while battling his demons. Lastly, we discuss how service, fitness, and SOAR have become staples in his life now that he’s become.

Daniel Quinones joins Casey and Dr. Matt to open up about his fairly normal childhood growing up, his passion for playing sports in high school, and the pain he felt when it was all taken away after he began partying more and more. Daniel also talks about how his heroin overtook him in a short amount of time before he was caught by his family and forced to seek treatment as a young adult. Then we dive into what life looked like for Daniel as he was running and gunning, being sent to prison as a twenty-year-old for possession of a controlled substance, and his experience with getting sober while he was in prison. Daniel then shares how quick it was for him to get back addicted to heroin after being released from prison, how his need for connection became a contributing factor to him running and gunning in the streets and the impact that his children had on his addiction. Related Links The Beehive Fiend: https://books2read.com/beehivefiend Instagram: dantheman_801 TikTok: dantheman801

Neil Arzani joins Casey and Dr. Matt to share his experiences with addiction that stemmed from his time in high school, where his substance abuse began with marijuana and quickly escalated into meth use. He also talks about how his drug use escalated after injuring his back while serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Then Neil opens up about how his prescription drug abuse quickly escalated to the point where he was jeopardizing his relationship with his family, his battles with trying to quit his substance abuse, and how SOAR (School of Addiction Recovery) helped him overcome his self-destructive tendencies. We also discuss some of SOAR's fantastic programs for the community, and then former guest Kyle Raines from SOAR talks about SOAR’s upcoming fundraising event on 11/2. You can learn more about SOAR's upcoming fundraiser you can learn more by going to: https://www.facebook.com/SchoolOfAddictionRecovery/ Related Links SOAR: https://schoolofaddiction.org/

Robin and Rachel Patfield join Casey and Dr. Matt this week and Robin opens up about a traumatic event that she experienced as a teenager that would lay the groundwork for addiction throughout her life. Then, Robin shares how a back injury led her to become addicted to opioids and how it impacted her relationship with her daughter, Rachel. Robin also recalls how her drug use came to a head when she found herself in jail after crashing her car due to her substance abuse, her mindset heading into treatment after hitting rock bottom, and why repairing her relationship with Rachel was such a crucial aspect of her recovery. We then hear from Rachel, who shares her experiences with processing her parent’s addiction and how she is navigating her own beliefs towards alcohol.

Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley dive into the six questions you need to ask yourself if you are wondering if you might have a problem. We also answer a bunch of listener-submitted questions, such as whether an eating disorder is an addiction, if dependency can become an addiction, and many more!

Casey Braithwaite joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to open up about how the loss of his father became an event in his life that would develop trauma that would leave him struggling to cope with the emotions he was dealing with as a teenager. Casey also talks about finding relief from the pain he was experiencing by abusing alcohol and his decision to consume anything he could get his hands on to mask the pain of his father’s passing. Then Casey shares his decision to remove all substances from his life and go on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the shame he felt after his demon returned. He had to be relieved from his mission and how those feelings could never release their grip, even after he became married and expecting a child. We also dive into Casey’s struggles with staying sober, the events that led to him being in a trailer surrounded by police officers, and his journey toward living a life of recovery.

Keith Morey (Economic Development Division Director for Provo) joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to share his first experience drinking alcohol out of curiosity in college as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, drinking to cope after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, and how his faith was shattered after his alcohol abuse began to spiral out of control. Keith also opens up about his rock bottom, what it took to commit to a life of recovery, and how recovery has taught him that resistance promotes growth.

Michelle Kolb joins Casey and Dr. Matt to talk about growing up in a secluded community that was centered around abuse, violence, and secrecy and how that completely altered her vision of what the world appeared to be once she was separated from the community. Michelle also opens up about her first experience with alcohol in her junior year of college, her quick progression into partying, and how becoming a parental figure for her siblings at 15 years old impacted her teenage years. We also talk about how Michelle’s drug use escalated once she became a mother, her first stint with sobriety, and why a cancer diagnosis shook her to her core. Lastly, Michelle shares how her last cancer diagnosis challenged her sobriety after seven years of not drinking or doing any drugs and the joy she finds in embracing every single day with her children.

Savanna Kemp joins Casey and Dr. Matt to open up about blacking out after trying alcohol for the first time, her first experiences with trying substances, and how her addiction to drugs escalated once she moved to North Dakota for work. Then Savanna shares how her life began to spiral out of control after meeting someone who introduced her to heroin and meth, being on the verge of death after binge drinking for a week straight, and the moment she relapsed after being sober for seven months. Lastly, we dive into what Savanna has learned about herself and her recovery after being sober for the past sixteen months.

Hanora McCarty joins Casey and Dr. Matt to talk about starting with a chip on her shoulder after being bullied early on throughout school after being born with a haemangioma on her face. She also opens up about turning to alcohol to help build confidence during her years in college, how her brother’s battle with addiction helped influence her decision to move to Spain to teach English for five years, and why she believed that if she could change her environment, she could find happiness. We also dive into how her addiction began to take a toll on Hanora, why working from home continued to fuel her addiction, and the morning she realized that she was never going to get better without help.

Charlie Osborne, LCSW (Clinical Director at Action Recovery), joins Casey and Dr. Matt to talk about how addiction has always run in his family, his battle with addiction as a teenager, and overdosing at work while working in an open kitchen. Then Charlie opens up about the acts of kindness that turned his life around, his decision to pursue a career in helping others battling their trauma, and why gratitude and hope are paramount in his recovery. Related Links Action Recovery: https://www.actiontreatment.com/

Steve Jones joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to open up about his early experiences with alcohol in his teens and how it drastically escalated once he began attending high school to the point where he was spending time in an in-patient treatment center and nights in jail for altercations. Then, we dive into Steve’s time in college, where his drinking began to escalate until he fell into a dark depression. He opens up about how his alcohol and drug abuse caused him to drop out of college and left him with the realization that he was going to drink himself to death until his brother helped save him from addiction. Lastly, Steve shares how he was able to go back to school and find his calling, helping others process their trauma and addiction through yoga, therapy, and mindfulness. Related Links Full Circle Yoga and Therapy: https://fullcircleut.com/

Dr. Matt dives into how AI is being used to predict successful addiction treatment rates, why boredom can be so mentally stressful, and a recent study that shows those who suffer from Cannabis-related disorders are at a higher risk for head and neck cancers.

In this week's episode, Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley are joined by Sam Wellman (Fit To Recover) to talk about his experience with experimenting with substances during college, why getting blackout drunk became a routine for him, and how his addiction sent him down a spiral into sickness and darkness. Sam also shares his mindset of drinking every day until he died, why his routine got even worse once he began working at a treatment facility, and how the COVID-19 pandemic pushed him to the brink of death. Lastly, we dive into Sam's decision to surrender for help and his road to recovery over the past two years. To learn more about Sam and Fit To Recover, you can visit their website here: https://fit2recover.org/

In this week's episode, Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley are joined by Ian Hacker to talk about the inspiration behind creating Fit to Recover, why he never felt good enough growing up, and how seeing a close friend pass away in front of him created a lot of untreated trauma during his teenage years. Ian also dives into his experience with abusing alcohol and pain medication to cope with his anxiety and trauma, the moment he realized that he needed to make a change as he was sitting in a jail cell, and why he decided to commit to service and helping others find recovery through Fit to Recover.

This week, Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley talk about why the idea of quitting substance abuse is much harder than most people realize, why empathy is crucial to understanding someone’s battles, and why you need to be all in to ensure a successful recovery.